Of Mortal Men
by believable-pen
Summary: It was a dark, February night, as the four members of Torchwood Three moved carefully around the corner. There was a flash of light and a single sound of a gun of some kind, before Captain Jack Harkness hit the ground, mortally wounded. "No! Jack!" Shouted Ianto, getting off a shot of his own.
1. Chapter 1

_Of Mortal Men_

It was a dark, February night, as the four members of Torchwood Three moved carefully around the corner. There was a flash of light and a single sound of a gun of some kind, before Captain Jack Harkness hit the ground, mortally wounded.

"No! Jack!" Shouted Ianto, getting off a shot of his own.

"Ianto, stay put!" Owen's voice came from somewhere off to the left of the Welshman.

"Jack!"

"Forget about him, he'll be fine in a few minutes," called the medic. "Get that bastard first!"

Ianto considered this for a moment, before looking in the direction the flash of light came from. "Shit!" he muttered to himself, then, "I can't see anything." He called out.

"There!" shouted Gwen. "By that garage to you right, Ianto. I'm sure I saw something move."

Ianto edged closer, away from Jack's lifeless body. "Well, it's gotta come passed us."

"Thanks for that," called Owen. "You've made my evening." He shrugged, as if cold.

Ianto frowned, edged forward a little more and raised his gun.

The Blowfish knew he had nowhere to go, but decided to take his chances, as he ran from the safety of the garage into Ianto's line of fire. A bullet caught him high in the right shoulder and he dropped his weapon. Another bullet to the left thigh knocked him off his feet.

Ianto left Gwen and Owen to take care of the Blowfish, while he knelt beside the dead Torchwood leader. The Welshman looked at his lover, touching his cheek gently. He waited until the Captain gasped for breath, holding his hand tightly, as he came back to life again. A smile touched the corners of Ianto's mouth, as aqua blue eyes looked back at him, the familiar sparkle returning to them.

"Need a hand up?" asked the Welshman.

"Mmm," came the sober reply.

Once back on their feet, Ianto pulled his lover into a hug.

"I hate when you do that." He whispered.

"I know. Sorry."

They parted.

"Did you get him?"

Ianto nodded. "Owen and Gwen are with him."

"He's alive, I hope."

Another nod. "Just winged."

"Good. I have a few questions I need answering."

Jack looked at the Blowfish as Gwen and Owen marched him by, hobbling.

"I wanna know how they became so intelligent," Jack continued. "They didn't talk or drive on their planet when I first went there."

"How long do you think they've been on Earth?" asked Ianto.

"A long time," came the reply.

They began to follow the other members of the team back to the SUV.

"He'll need looking at before you start interrogating him," said Owen, once back in the SUV. "Ianto shot him…twice."

Jack looked back at him from the front passenger seat. "He's got til morning."

Ianto started the engine and drove off toward Cardiff Bay and the Hub. Once there, Ianto helped Owen with the Blowfish, while Jack went to his office to change his shirt.

Gwen and Tosh looked down into the autopsy bay, as Owen sedated the Blowfish.

"He'll be out til morning. I better get these bullets out of him." He frowned at Ianto. "Two bullets?"

Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Time to go home then," said Gwen.

Ianto raised an eyebrow. "I was about to make coffee."

"No thanks, Ianto. Rhys is waitin' for me," she grinned.

Owen put the second of the two bullets into a kidney dish. "Lucky you," he said with a grin.

Tosh shook her head.

Jack appeared on the gantry outside his office. "I'll see you all in the morning," he nodded to Ianto. "That includes you." Then he turned, went back into his office and closed the door.

Ianto looked up at it, a puzzeled look on his face and then at Owen.

"You two have a falling out?" Owen enquired.

Ianto shrugged. "No." He moved toward his workstation. "I'll get my coat."

_**TBC**_


	2. Chapter 2

_Of Mortal Men; Chapter 2 _

Once outside the tourist office, Owen turned to Ianto.

"Fancy a pint or two?"

Without thinking about it, Ianto nodded. "Why not."

As they walked up the ramp to the Terra Nova, Jack watched them on the CCTV monitor and sighed.

Waking to the bar, Owen got out his wallet. "What do you fancy? Beer? Whisky? Both?"

Ianto considered this. "Half and a whisky."

Owen smiled. "Good for you, Tea Boy."

Ianto shook his head and frowned. "That's Coffee King to you, Bones."

Owen laughed, caught the barmaids attention and ordered their drinks.

Two hours later, Ianto was sitting on the floor in his front room, looking into the dancing flames of the gas fire.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" came a voice from the doorway.

Ianto nodded, not looking around.

"What are you doing sitting on the floor?"

"It's comfortable and I like looking into the flames," he took a breath. "Come join me."

Jack took off his coat and boots and sat beside the younger man.

"I came to explain."

Ianto shook his head. "No need."

"Yeah, there is." Jack put his arm around his lover's shoulders. "I hadn't healed properly. I know how hard it is on you when I die. I didn't want you to see…well, a hole in my chest."

Ianto leaned his head against Jack's shoulder. "Is it healed now?"

"Yeah."

"Owen thought we'd had a falling out."

"Really?"

Ianto nodded.

"Is that why he took you for a drink?"

Ianto laughed. "Not sure."

Jack laughed with him.

"Anyway," Ianto added, "We don't argue. We raise our voices."

"Right," agreed Jack, wisely.

"Are you staying?"

"If you'll have me."

"Shall I make coffee?"

Jack's eyes twinkled. "I'd rather you made love."

Ianto smiled. "Me, too."

Getting up off the floor, the two men made their way, hand in hand to the bedroom.

_TWTWTW_

At 6.50am, Ianto had brewed the first coffee of the day and Jack was standing in the autopsy bay beside the still comatose Blowfish.

"You want coffee down there?" asked the Welshman.

Jack looked up. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Please."

Ianto moved toward the stairs, carrying two mugs of coffee. "Right." Ianto offered one to Jack. "Think he'll talk?"

Jack took the mug and smiled. "No."

Ianto smiled. "Thought as much."

"But I have a secret weapon," he took a sip of his coffee. "Wow, this is amazing!"

Ianto frowned. "I added nutmeg. What secret weapon?"

**TBC **


	3. Chapter 3

_Of Mortal Men; Chapter 3_

Owen came through the cog door at just before 8.15am, followed closely by Tosh. Owen went straight to the autopsy bay to check on the Blowfish.

"He'll be awake in about an hour. I better check his wounds."

Gwen walked in and went straight to her workstation. "Mornin'," she chirped.

"Did you and Rhys go out last night?"

"No. We watched telly. Had an early night."

"It's alright for some," pipped up Owen.

"Why, what were you up to?" asked Gwen.

"I got Tosh to access the Hub's data base on Blowfish anatomy. He'd lost a lot of blood and I wanted to know if I could give him fluids to make it up again." He frowned. "Have you seen what goes into making a bloody Blowfish?"

Gwen smiled. Can't say I have."

Ianto brought her a cup of coffee. "They are very complex, let me tell you."

"Thanks, Ianto," Gwen said, taking the mug from him. "For both."

Ianto bowed his head slightly. "My pleasure."

Jack came down from his office. "I need him awake and coherent," he told Owen.

"He will be, but I can't guarantee he'll answer your questions."

Jack smiled. "Oh, he will."

Ianto frowned. He still hadn't found out what Jack's 'secret weapon' was.

Jack walked down to the autopsy bay and leaned against the back cabinet. "I want free reign over him. No interruptions, is that clear?" He looked from Owen up to Ianto.

"What are you up to, Harkness?" asked Owen.

"Don't ask," Ianto told him.

"Up to no good then," said Owen with a frown.

Ianto rolled his eyes and shrugged, mouthing '_Secret weapon'._

Owen threw his arms up in the air. "You can't, Harkness! It hasn't been tested yet."

Ianto put his hands on his hips and looked at Jack. "_He _knows about it?"

Jack nodded.

"What if it kills him?" asked the medic.

Jack just tutted.

Ianto made his way down to stand beside Jack.

"You don't bloody care, do you?" said Owen.

No response from Jack.

"I won't let you do it."

Jack crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Owen. "You don't have a say in the matter."

"_I'm _the doctor!"

"And _I'm _the boss!" retorted Jack, stepping forward.

"This isn't a pissing contest!" Put in Gwen.

"Stay out of it!" Jack warned her.

"No, I won't. You want to ask him questions, ask away. But you are _not _experimenting on him!"

Jack glared. "Why would you care? He's an alien."

Gwen looked shocked. "Ianto was right. You _are _a monster!"

"Gwen!" this from Ianto. "That was a long time ago!"

"Yes, but you were right."

"Get off your high horse for just a minute. Don't you want to know how they got here? How they can to do what they do?"

Gwen crossed her arms. "Actually, no."

Jack shook his head and smiled. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"Adventure?" put in Owen. "You hypocrite!"

"Owen!" said Ianto, stepping between Jack and the medic. "Let me talk to him."

Jack smiled. "Won't work, Ianto. My mind's made up. He talks, end of story."

"There has to be another way, Jack. You could kill him!"

"Okay," Jack stepped back. "Let's try it on Janet."

Ianto rolled his eyes in disbelief. "Janet? She can't even talk!"

"Then the Blowfish it is," said Jack, triumphantly.

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Of Mortal Men; Chapter 4**_

Ianto passed back and forth in front of Jack, as the immortal prepared the syringe with his 'secret weapon' in it. Owen looked on as the Blowfish suddenly opened his eyes, blinking as the light hit them. They soon filled with horror, as Jack approached, holding the syringe in his right hand, asmile creasing his lips.

"Get him away from me!" he yelped, trying to sit up so he could get away from Jack.

"Jack!" said Ianto, standing before him.

Jack scowled at the Welshman. "He tells me what I want to know, I won't have to use this." Jack held his arm up, squeezing some of the liquid into the air.

The Blowfish shivered. "He's going to kill me!"

Jack sighed. "Not if you tell me what I want to know."

The Blowfish looked from Jack to Ianto, who nodded.

"W-what do you w-want to know?"

"That's better. Now, who taught you to talk and to drive, come to it?"

"Is that all?" he laughed, then winced as the pain shot through his arm and leg.

"Yeah, that's all."

"He was an old Time Agent. Wore a red and gold waistcoat."

Jack sighed again.

"Hart. That's it. Captain John Hart."

Jack punched the air. "I knew it!"

"Him again!" said Ianto, placing his hands on his hips.

Jack closed his eyes and clicked his tongue against his teeth . "What **is** he playing at?" He turned to Blowfish. "How long has he been on your planet?"

He shrugged. "It was a long time ago. He taught the elders. They taught us."

Jack gave the syringe to Owen and walked toward the stairs to the main Hub. As he passed Ianto, he said, "Coffee…please." Then went to his office, closing the door.

Ianto watched him go, then turned to Owen. "He never intended to use it, did he?"

Owen shook his head. "No. There **is **no 'secret weapon'. It's saline."

Going up to the kitchen, Ianto looked back as Owen and Gwen escorted Blowfish to the garage.

"His own will look after him," the medic told Ianto.

Ianto half smiled. They were letting him go free. His own would find him and take care of him, just as Owen said.

Once the coffee was made, Ianto took two mugs full, up to Jack's office. The older man was leaning back in his chair, looking thoughtful.

Ianto placed the two mugs on the desk and sat down.

"I put an extra shot in it for you."

Jack smiled. "Thanks." He took a tentative sip. "Mmm, wonderful!"

"Do you miss it?" asked the younger man.

"Miss what, Ianto?"

Ianto shrugged. "The Time Agency. Being a free agent…John Hart."

"No! No, none of it!" Jack's eyes narrowed. "Why do you ask?"

"Your eyes…sort of light up." He looked away. "Do you still love him?" He looked back at Jack.

Their eyes met. Blue on blue.

"No, I don't. He's in my past. I want him to stay there. I've…moved on with my life since John Hart."

He moved his hand across the desk and Ianto willingly took it in his.

"My heart belongs to you, now."

Ianto smiled. "What's done is done. Forget about it."

Jack smiled. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

"You know I am," agreed the Welshman.

"Have they let him go?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"I'll cook tonight. My place. About 9pm."

Jack sighed. "You know how to sooth me, Ianto Jones."

Ianto stood up. "Yes, sir." He walked toward the door, mug in hand. "I'll be in the archives, if you need soothing some more." He winked.

"Grrrr!"

_**THE END**_


End file.
